Almost 70 performance, visual arts, music and dance events make up an adventurous program for the 2019 Castlemaine State Festival. The full program was announced this morning with a community celebration of the launch planned for Saturday in Castlemaine. Festival director Glyn Roberts said he was excited to kick off the 10-day event with an opening night dance party. Equinox will see dance collective Deep Soulful Sweats encourage participants to dress in a colour representing their Zodiac groups go on a holistic journey of dance and fantasy. “We aim to get the entire town dancing for what will be an exciting communal event,” Mr Roberts said. RELATED: 2019 Castlemaine State Festival announces its first artist Dance will also feature in performance pieces by Circa and Korea’s Ambiguous Dance Company who will present acrobat and surrealist works. Germany’s classical pianist Mona Asuka and Italian harp player Floraleda Sacchi will present pieces in the music program while Timor-Leste songwriter Ego Lemoa and Bosnia’s Bozo Vreco will perform world and folk music. Theatre Royal will host a contemporary music program featuring a range of musicians including Castlemaine’s very own Devo cover band Davo. Mr Roberts, in his first Castlemaine State Festival, said there was a lot of anticipation in announcing the full program. “It's been a hell of a gestation period. I’ve worked on other festivals but this has a longer build time and more anticipation,” he said. “It’s been fantastic to work with such a great team. I went as punter to the festival in 2017 but had never been before even though I had visited Castlemaine many times.” There will be between 70 and 80 open studios and exhibitions from 25 artists as part of next year’s festival. “Overall between 35 and 40 per cent of the festival is (locally grown). Just in visual arts alone, about 50 per cent of (exhibitions) are local,” Mr Roberts said. “It is a really good mix. There is a lot of international acts collaborating and working with local artists. We are making sure anyone we bring in doesn’t just do a show but also networks.” The Castlemaine Goods Shed will host a community celebration of the launch on Saturday from 11am with Mr Roberts encouraging the town to turn out and support the festival. “It’s a big public launch where we invite the whole town and anyone wants to come down for a lovely time,” he said. “There will be a few choc tops, pastries and drinks and we will run through the things that the community will enjoy.” The Castlemaine State Festival takes place from March 22-31, 2019. Further information including a full program of events and tickets can be found at www.castlemainefestival.com.au RELATED: Castlemaine band’s state festival perfromance sparks documentary RELATED: 2017 | State festival opens in Castlemaine Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.

Dance will also feature in performance pieces by Circa and Korea’s Ambiguous Dance Company who will present acrobat and surrealist works.

Germany’s classical pianist Mona Asuka and Italian harp player Floraleda Sacchi will present pieces in the music program while Timor-Leste songwriter Ego Lemoa and Bosnia’s Bozo Vreco will perform world and folk music.

Theatre Royal will host a contemporary music program featuring a range of musicians including Castlemaine’s very own Devo cover band Davo.

Mr Roberts, in his first Castlemaine State Festival, said there was a lot of anticipation in announcing the full program.

“It's been a hell of a gestation period. I’ve worked on other festivals but this has a longer build time and more anticipation,” he said.

“It’s been fantastic to work with such a great team. I went as punter to the festival in 2017 but had never been before even though I had visited Castlemaine many times.”

There will be between 70 and 80 open studios and exhibitions from 25 artists as part of next year’s festival.

“Overall between 35 and 40 per cent of the festival is (locally grown). Just in visual arts alone, about 50 per cent of (exhibitions) are local,” Mr Roberts said.

“It is a really good mix. There is a lot of international acts collaborating and working with local artists. We are making sure anyone we bring in doesn’t just do a show but also networks.”

The Castlemaine Goods Shed will host a community celebration of the launch on Saturday from 11am with Mr Roberts encouraging the town to turn out and support the festival.

“It’s a big public launch where we invite the whole town and anyone wants to come down for a lovely time,” he said.

“There will be a few choc tops, pastries and drinks and we will run through the things that the community will enjoy.”

The Castlemaine State Festival takes place from March 22-31, 2019. Further information including a full program of events and tickets can be found at www.castlemainefestival.com.au